After Death
by Protector of Canon2
Summary: In order to defeat Voldemort, Harry sacrificed his own life. But his death was not permanent; he came back to life... Didn't he? AU oneshot, not part of Innocence Lostverse.


I can't be the only one who was a bit irritated by the fact that Harry both died _and_ lived happily ever after at the end of book seven. That, coupled with my feeling that the aftermath of the battle was a bit happy-go-lucky considering the number of people who died in that battle, gives you this.

Also, I hate that "Ten Years Later Thing," And this way, it never happened!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for the plot and the two disembodied voices.

* * *

"_Unbelievable."_

"_He really did it."_

"_Seventeen-years-old, mistreated all his life, still essentially a good person, and now he's allowed himself to be killed to save everyone else. I don't think there's really a question here; this boy is going strait to heaven."_

"_Obviously. Now for the hard part: What is his heaven? What will make Harry Potter truly happy?"_

"_Wait, I have an idea."_

* * *

The defenders of Hogwarts knew nothing of this conversation as they watched Rubeus Hagrid walk out of the Forbidden Forest, tears streaming down his face, and Harry Potter's corpse in his arms. All they knew through the haze of shock and horror was that the battle was over. They had lost.

They would not give up; they would continue fighting until they were all captured or dead, but they knew that it was now only a matter of time.

The Boy Who Lived had died, and their hope had died with them.

"NO!" Even years later, no one ever fully understood how Neville Longbottom managed to reach the edge of the Forbidden Forest undetected, but suddenly he was there. The enormous sword in his hands flashed; and, with a horrible cry, Nagini the snake collapsed.

There was a long moment of stunned silence as everyone watched the serpent writhe on the ground before twitching one final time and lying perfectly still. Voldemort watched his pet's final moments fearfully, the all-too-human expression unnatural and strange on his reptilian face.

Then the fear was replaced by rage. He snarled, "_Kill him_," and everyone came to life.

Heartened by Neville's heroism, Hogwarts's defenders leapt forward to protect their friend and ally. Few of them still believed that they would survive the battle, but they were determined to bring as many of their enemies as possible with them to the grave.

Hagrid laid Harry's body reverently on the ground and, with a roar of pure fury, threw himself into the fight.

In between the bodies of Harry Potter and Nagini the snake, Neville Longbottom and Lord Voldemort faced each other silently, untouched by the battle raging around them, like the eye of a terrible storm.

"You should not have done that, boy," Voldemort hissed.

Neville stood tall, Gryffindor's sword clutched in one hand and his own wand in the other. "It was the last request Harry made of me," he replied, quietly and calmly. "It's my dedication to his memory."

"Then you can join him! _Avada—_"

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

Voldemort's face twisted in shock for a single instant before every muscle in his body stopped working.

Ginny Weasley dropped her wand as soon as the spell was cast, ran to Voldemort's dead body, and began pummeling it mercilessly with both fists while screaming, "You killed him! You killed him! You killed him!"

Neville dropped the sword and slowly walked over to the redhead. He hesitantly reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. "Ginny—"

But Ginny threw off his hand, ran to Harry's body, hugged it to her own, and began to rock back and forth, sobbing uncontrollably.

The Battle of Hogwarts ended slowly but surely as the Death Eaters realized that Voldemort had been killed and either surrendered or turned their wands upon themselves. The defenders of Hogwarts also noticed that the most evil wizard of the century had been defeated, but there were no cheers. They were simply too exhausted, both physically and mentally.

There would be another day for celebration. Today, the only sound was the cries of mourners for their friends and family.

* * *

As Ginny Weasley clutched the corpse of the boy that she had loved since she was eleven-years-old, Harry Potter found himself buried in the hugs on his friends, and two other beings were watching him.

"_So he came back to life, defeated the villain, and got the girl?"_

"_That's what he'll always believe."_

"_He deserves is."_

"_That he does."_

"_And he lived happily ever after."_

"_Amen."_

* * *

Well, what do you think? Like? Hate?

Review and let me know!


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